In Canada, where I'm from, the legal system around child protection is different. I felt there were a few gaps here in the paperwork. Sometimes, autistic children are more fearful of pets, especially dogs, and in some cases they do not know boundaries and when they are hurting them. Now the paperwork is more user-friendly and potential problems of animal cruelty have been prevented.

Didn't you put in a lot of your own time?

I volunteered to run the Kid-2-Teen group, which takes the children of carers on trips every few months. I did a lot things that weren't in my job description, because I really like what I do.

You even baked a cake?

We work with a lot of special needs schools and I wanted them to understand our work and I kept on saying Family Link was a piece of cake. So I did a presentation that involved baking a cake to demonstrate the steps it takes to become a respite carer.

Are agency social workers undervalued?

Yes. We are fully qualified people with a lot of knowledge and who love our jobs and work like anybody else, except we get fewer [state] benefits.

Are temps not expected to innovate, as they may be seen to be 'muscling in'?

I never felt that there was any divide. I was always welcomed by everyone with open arms. I am in my mid-20s, but I was welcomed by carers who have children my age. Members of the team thought of me as a fresh pair of eyes.

When there's a problem in social services, do temporary workers get the blame?

That was never my experience. When anything goes wrong, someone needs to be blamed, but I never felt singled out.

Isn't it difficult to become part of a team when you are a temp?

I was welcomed straight away, although I did have reservations at first as I only came out of [social work] school two years ago.

Nominate a president for Britain.

Joanna Chambers, who works for my locum agency.

· Katie Spadafora works for Havering council's Family Link and Fostering Team, in east London. The Agency Social Worker of the Year is awarded by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation

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